MEET ALYSSA
I'M ALYSSA
An enneagram three, wife and mom of two little boys, Jack (5) and Jett (3). We live on the East Coast, and enjoy all the adventures that living with four seasons has to offer.
Ever since I was young I knew that I wanted to do something big with my life & was always a social butterfly. My mom had a salon where I would go visit with clients because they were like family. I thrived off of building relationships with women well beyond my years (beginning at the ripe age of 8 😂). I went into the spa industry right out of high school. I loved my career & dreamed of having my own business, and yet managing and running a salon or spa didn't quite appeal to me. My passion was the people.
Insert our cleft journey, a few years later. Jack was diagnosed with a bilateral cleft lip and palate at our 20 week anatomy scan and Jett was diagnosed at a 16 week ultrasound. It was at that 16 week ultrasound that I knew that someday I would be helping other cleft moms in some capacity.
You can find me in my green kitchen cooking with my husband or working out in my living room since mom life keeps me busy. I have a love for traveling, party planning, musical theatre & of course spending time with my guys.
VALUE #1
Encouraging cleft moms to feel their feelings in order to have the healthiest relationship possible with the journey. It is my biggest belief that you need to experience all of your emotions, both happy and difficult.
VALUE #2
Empowering cleft moms to find their voice and feel confident at appointments and on surgery day. I am familiar with the weight of advocating & what it's like to feel the fear of the unknown when handing your baby over for surgery.
VALUE #3
Relationship building, relating and connecting through providing a safe place where cleft moms can be validated & encouraged but also challenged and pushed to become the best version of themselves through this process.
OUR CLEFT STORY
We struggled to conceive our first baby and it was then that I was diagnosed with PCOS and hypothyroidism. We found out that I was pregnant on my husband's 30th birthday and were over the moon. It was a few days after we made a move across the state, to be closer to family, as we prepared to welcome our first child that we had our anatomy scan.
That was the day our lives changed. Our baby was diagnosed with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. We were set to meet with a Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor a few weeks later.
Jack was born and a lot of my fears melted away but when we got home, he struggled with severe colic and acid reflux. He quickly became failure to thrive and was hospitalized from the time he was one month old until he was discharged at four months old. There were a LOT of scary moments during those months that led my struggle with severe medical PTSD. Jack was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency at 18 months old, when I was 3 months pregnant with our second baby.
Just 4 weeks later we learned that our second son would also be born with a cleft. This time a unilateral cleft. Jett was born a month prior to the 2020 pandemic shutdown and I found myself isolated with a two year old and newborn. Spiraling both physically and mentally while facing surgeries and lots of cleft related appointments the anxiety just kept piling up. It was then that knew I had to prioritize my health too.
Our boys are now thriving and while the journey is ongoing, I've found true joy in building relationships and supporting other cleft moms.
As a result of investing in myself, pouring into my cup and experiencing the self growth that is possible on this journey, Smile Strong was born to support cleft moms emotionally.
